Forest robin
Encyclopedia
The forest robins are small Central
and West Africa
n bird
s from the genus
Stiphrornis. They have been placed in the family
Turdidae, but are now generally placed in Muscicapidae in the group popularly known as chats
. Traditionally, only a single species, the Forest Robin (S. erythrothorax), has been recognized, but recent reviews have recommended recognizing 5 species. All have a total length of around 12 cm (4½ in), have dark upperparts, and a throat and chest that, depending on the exact species, is yellow-orange or deep orange.
species. Of these, S. gabonensis and S. xanthogaster were formerly considered subspecies of S. erythrothorax, whereas S. saghensis was described as an entirely new species. The split was not followed in Handbook of the Birds of the World
, where described as "perhaps premature". Comparably, the BirdLife
Taxonomic Working Group (and consequently IUCN) recommended not following the split, as differences in plumage
s are relatively small, genetic sampling considered incomplete, and evidence for intergradation
or parapatry is lacking. Another species from this complex
, S. pyrrholaemus, was described as a new species
in 2008. Based on mtDNA, it is placed within S. erythrothorax sensu lato, and consequently is only a species (rather than a subspecies of S. erythrothorax) if at least some of the taxonomy
recommended in 1999 is followed. The genetic divergence
between S. pyrrholaemus and other members of the genus is comparable to that between some other closely related species.
Central Africa
Central Africa is a core region of the African continent which includes Burundi, the Central African Republic, Chad, the Democratic Republic of the Congo, and Rwanda....
and West Africa
West Africa
West Africa or Western Africa is the westernmost region of the African continent. Geopolitically, the UN definition of Western Africa includes the following 16 countries and an area of approximately 5 million square km:-Flags of West Africa:...
n bird
Bird
Birds are feathered, winged, bipedal, endothermic , egg-laying, vertebrate animals. Around 10,000 living species and 188 families makes them the most speciose class of tetrapod vertebrates. They inhabit ecosystems across the globe, from the Arctic to the Antarctic. Extant birds range in size from...
s from the genus
Genus
In biology, a genus is a low-level taxonomic rank used in the biological classification of living and fossil organisms, which is an example of definition by genus and differentia...
Stiphrornis. They have been placed in the family
Family (biology)
In biological classification, family is* a taxonomic rank. Other well-known ranks are life, domain, kingdom, phylum, class, order, genus, and species, with family fitting between order and genus. As for the other well-known ranks, there is the option of an immediately lower rank, indicated by the...
Turdidae, but are now generally placed in Muscicapidae in the group popularly known as chats
Chat (bird)
Chats are a group of small Old World insectivorous birds formerly classed as members of the thrush family Turdidae, but now considered Old World flycatchers....
. Traditionally, only a single species, the Forest Robin (S. erythrothorax), has been recognized, but recent reviews have recommended recognizing 5 species. All have a total length of around 12 cm (4½ in), have dark upperparts, and a throat and chest that, depending on the exact species, is yellow-orange or deep orange.
Taxonomy
The initial split into multiple species within this genus is based on a review from 1999 where it, based on the phylogenetic species concept, was argued that all then recognized taxa should be considered monotypicMonotypic
In biology, a monotypic taxon is a taxonomic group with only one biological type. The term's usage differs slightly between botany and zoology. The term monotypic has a separate use in conservation biology, monotypic habitat, regarding species habitat conversion eliminating biodiversity and...
species. Of these, S. gabonensis and S. xanthogaster were formerly considered subspecies of S. erythrothorax, whereas S. saghensis was described as an entirely new species. The split was not followed in Handbook of the Birds of the World
Handbook of the Birds of the World
The Handbook of the Birds of the World is a multi-volume series produced by the Spanish publishing house Lynx Edicions. It is the first handbook to cover every known living species of bird. The series is edited by Josep del Hoyo, Andrew Elliott, Jordi Sargatal and David A Christie.So far, 15...
, where described as "perhaps premature". Comparably, the BirdLife
BirdLife International
BirdLife International is a global Partnership of conservation organisations that strives to conserve birds, their habitats and global biodiversity, working with people towards sustainability in the use of natural resources...
Taxonomic Working Group (and consequently IUCN) recommended not following the split, as differences in plumage
Plumage
Plumage refers both to the layer of feathers that cover a bird and the pattern, colour, and arrangement of those feathers. The pattern and colours of plumage vary between species and subspecies and can also vary between different age classes, sexes, and season. Within species there can also be a...
s are relatively small, genetic sampling considered incomplete, and evidence for intergradation
Intergradation
In zoology, intergradation is the way in which two distinct subspecies are connected via areas where populations are found that have the characteristics of both...
or parapatry is lacking. Another species from this complex
Species complex
A species complex is a group of closely related species, where the exact demarcation between species is often unclear or cryptic owing to their recent and usually still incomplete reproductive isolation. Ring species, superspecies and cryptic species complex are example of species complex...
, S. pyrrholaemus, was described as a new species
Bird species new to science described in the 2000s
This page details the bird species described as new to science in the years 2000 to 2010:-Number of species described per year:-Countries with high numbers of newly described species:* Brazil* Colombia* Peru* Indonesia-2000:...
in 2008. Based on mtDNA, it is placed within S. erythrothorax sensu lato, and consequently is only a species (rather than a subspecies of S. erythrothorax) if at least some of the taxonomy
Taxonomy
Taxonomy is the science of identifying and naming species, and arranging them into a classification. The field of taxonomy, sometimes referred to as "biological taxonomy", revolves around the description and use of taxonomic units, known as taxa...
recommended in 1999 is followed. The genetic divergence
Genetic divergence
Genetic divergence is the process in which two or more populations of an ancestral species accumulate independent genetic changes through time, often after the populations have become reproductively isolated for some period of time...
between S. pyrrholaemus and other members of the genus is comparable to that between some other closely related species.
Species
- Western Forest RobinWestern Forest RobinThe Western Forest Robin is a species of bird found at low levels in West African forests from Sierra Leone to Nigeria. It has been placed in the family Turdidae, but is now generally placed in Muscicapidae...
(Stiphrornis erythrothorax). - Olive-backed Forest RobinOlive-backed Forest RobinThe Olive-backed Forest Robin is a small species of bird found in the Gamba Complex in southwest Gabon. It was described in 2008. The Olive-backed Forest Robin can be separated from other species in the genus by the combination of its olive upperparts, bright orange throat and chest, and...
(Stiphrornis pyrrholaemus). - Gabon Forest RobinGabon Forest RobinThe Gabon Forest Robin is a small species of bird found at low levels of forests in Cameroon, Gabon and Bioko. It was considered a subspecies of S. erythrothorax until 1999, when it was recommended that it should be treated as a separate species...
(Stiphrornis gabonensis). - Sangha Forest RobinSangha Forest RobinThe Sangha Forest Robin is a small forest robin-type bird that is endemic to south-western Central African Republic, but may also occur in adjacent parts of DR Congo, Cameroon and Republic of the Congo. It was only discovered in 1996, and scientifically described in 1999...
(Stiphrornis sanghornis). - Eastern Forest RobinEastern Forest RobinThe Eastern Forest Robin is a small species of bird found at low levels in forests from Cameroon and Gabon to DR Congo and Uganda. It was considered a subspecies of S. erythrothorax until 1999, when it was recommended that it should be treated as a separate species...
(Stiphrornis xanthogaster).